If you've followed this blog for any length of time, you know that my FAVORITE TIME OF THE YEAR is quickly approaching!!! I am counting down the days until school begins (In case you are wondering-15 and 16 days until New Family Orientation, 21 days until our Open House, and 26 days until the First Day of School!!!) Around this time each year, I begin compiling all of our information for our various staff and parent meetings. Each year I tweak the information to reflect any changes that has happened over the course of the last year. I seriously feel like everything changes every year. As we grow as a company, we realize the way we have been doing things is no longer going to work for us and we have to develop a new, better way. Year after year, we work hard to adapt to the changes in staff, families, curriculum, etc. Throughout the last nine years, we have learned a lot and applied what we have learned to how we operate. However, there is one thing that will always remain the same.
Why I do this.
What I hope to accomplish.
My mission.
Our mission here at CDS is
to provide a learning environment where
students feel loved, safe, and respected, and where teachers provide a broad
range of activities to help each child learn to the best of their abilities. We
work hard to foster independence, growth, and friendships. We also strive to
provide parents and staff with a community of adults that care for their family
and will support them.
We have this amazing family here at CDS and we will always do whatever we need to to keep that the same! Only 26 more days! I hope you are as excited as I am!!
-Ashley
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
Sunday, May 24, 2015
Another School Year Comes to an End
This time every year I am in disbelief at how quickly our school year flew
by. It feels like just yesterday we were so excited for the first day of school
and we couldn't wait to show off our new added space. As another year
closes, I'd like to take time to reflect on everything that happened this year.
We added a few new amazing teachers this year. I am so happy that we have teachers who love what they do and go above and beyond on a daily basis. Natalie, Autumn, Stephanie and Melissa have been more than I could have ever dreamed of. They have helped us grow in so many ways. Their dedication has been so appreciated and I am grateful for each one of them. They made an amazing addition to our group of rock star staff!!!
The beginning of the year started out so smooth. The year before we experienced a lot of growing pains that made me feel like I was going crazy. This year was a piece of cake in comparison. Even our pick-up line was great during the first week of school. I'm so thankful for gracious parents that give us time to work out the kinks and find what works best for us. Our school truly is a community where everyone plays a part in making it successful.
We had lots of fun during amazing parties, events, field trips, and programs!! Our parents threw unbelievable classroom holiday parties with lovely decorations and awesome food!! I swear a few of them could be so successful in a party planning business!! As always, our Fall Festival and Book Fair were fun with a great turnout and lots of support from our families! Our Christmas program was great with our sweet, little kiddos singing their hearts out. Gosh they have grown so much this year!
I had the pleasure of witnessing so much learning this year. I got to
hear many students sound out their first word, read their first book, and
count to 100 for the first time! What an honor it is that I get to be present
during these monumental times in their lives. Thank you parents for allowing us
to experience some of your child's "firsts"! We love cheering them
on!!
My favorite thing about the year was getting to know so many amazing families, many that have become dear friends. What a wonderful feeling it is waking up each morning, excited to go to work because I get to talk to wonderful moms and dads and hang out with the coolest kids and teachers around. We are truly blessed at CDS.
It's hard to believe that graduation is just 11 days away. Our students have been practicing and are going to blow your socks off!! Please join us on Thursday, June 4th at 6pm at Life Community Church for a wonderful program celebrating all of our student’s hard work this year!
Thank you again for an amazing year. I am very much looking forward to next school year and all the memories and friends that will be created inside our little school.
-Ashley
We added a few new amazing teachers this year. I am so happy that we have teachers who love what they do and go above and beyond on a daily basis. Natalie, Autumn, Stephanie and Melissa have been more than I could have ever dreamed of. They have helped us grow in so many ways. Their dedication has been so appreciated and I am grateful for each one of them. They made an amazing addition to our group of rock star staff!!!
The beginning of the year started out so smooth. The year before we experienced a lot of growing pains that made me feel like I was going crazy. This year was a piece of cake in comparison. Even our pick-up line was great during the first week of school. I'm so thankful for gracious parents that give us time to work out the kinks and find what works best for us. Our school truly is a community where everyone plays a part in making it successful.
We had lots of fun during amazing parties, events, field trips, and programs!! Our parents threw unbelievable classroom holiday parties with lovely decorations and awesome food!! I swear a few of them could be so successful in a party planning business!! As always, our Fall Festival and Book Fair were fun with a great turnout and lots of support from our families! Our Christmas program was great with our sweet, little kiddos singing their hearts out. Gosh they have grown so much this year!
My favorite thing about the year was getting to know so many amazing families, many that have become dear friends. What a wonderful feeling it is waking up each morning, excited to go to work because I get to talk to wonderful moms and dads and hang out with the coolest kids and teachers around. We are truly blessed at CDS.
It's hard to believe that graduation is just 11 days away. Our students have been practicing and are going to blow your socks off!! Please join us on Thursday, June 4th at 6pm at Life Community Church for a wonderful program celebrating all of our student’s hard work this year!
Thank you again for an amazing year. I am very much looking forward to next school year and all the memories and friends that will be created inside our little school.
-Ashley
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
Coastal Day School
It's that time of year when we are gearing up for new enrollment for the next school year, giving tours, and holding our Open House. I know parents are faced with the tough decision of where they should send their child to preschool (or kindergarten.) There are so many amazing options out there with lots to offer your child. I feel like it's important to share why I feel like CDS is among those amazing options and why you should join our family. I have to say, it's a little awkward writing this post. I'm not one to brag so bear with me while I give it my best shot.
We are family at CDS. We care about your child, their siblings, and you! We want to partner with you to help your child reach their fullest potential in every aspect of their life. We want to know what's going on in their lives and how that could be impacting them. We care about their successes, failures, and feelings. Our teachers call their students their "kids" and that's exactly what they are! We work hard to include families in our school year with fun events and parties. We love our little CDS community.
ALL of our lead teachers (and some of our assistants) have their degree in education. It might not mean that much to you when you are thinking about who is teaching your two year old, but our teachers have been educated on how your two year old thinks and behaves, what's normal behavior or what behaviors you should be concerned about, and what are realistic expectations for their age range. And when they are four years old and ready to read, our teachers have been taught what process needs to happened and what skills they need to know before they advance to the next level. We also believe that classroom experience is important so we look for teachers that have "been there, done that" :) Our staff is amazing and truly care about building a strong, educational foundation for our students.
One of my favorite parts, our staff consider each other friends. We live life together. Our families know each other. We are there for each other. Again, maybe this doesn't seem important when choosing a school, but it is. Our teachers support each other and help out wherever they are needed. They share ideas and resources. They encourage each other and lift each other up. Our work environment is pleasant and fun. Everyone enjoys coming to work. As most of you know, that's pretty special and hard to find. Another great thing about our staff is that everyone is passionate about teaching and are excited to do their jobs. We get to work along side women that LOVE what they do each day!
We put people before policy. We focus on what is best for our students over numbers, money, or success. If I'm being completely honest, every single month is a struggle for us financially. We use every resource we have to provide the very best program we can. Curriculum trumps savings every time. I'm sure all the finance people out there are rolling their eyes but I'm an educator at heart, not an accountant. What matters most to me is that we are providing everything we possibly can to make our teacher's jobs easy and enjoyable, and our students successful.
I hope you will come see for yourself what makes CDS special and give us the honor of teaching and loving your child. We promise to take the responsibility very seriously.
Ashley Danko
We are family at CDS. We care about your child, their siblings, and you! We want to partner with you to help your child reach their fullest potential in every aspect of their life. We want to know what's going on in their lives and how that could be impacting them. We care about their successes, failures, and feelings. Our teachers call their students their "kids" and that's exactly what they are! We work hard to include families in our school year with fun events and parties. We love our little CDS community.
ALL of our lead teachers (and some of our assistants) have their degree in education. It might not mean that much to you when you are thinking about who is teaching your two year old, but our teachers have been educated on how your two year old thinks and behaves, what's normal behavior or what behaviors you should be concerned about, and what are realistic expectations for their age range. And when they are four years old and ready to read, our teachers have been taught what process needs to happened and what skills they need to know before they advance to the next level. We also believe that classroom experience is important so we look for teachers that have "been there, done that" :) Our staff is amazing and truly care about building a strong, educational foundation for our students.
One of my favorite parts, our staff consider each other friends. We live life together. Our families know each other. We are there for each other. Again, maybe this doesn't seem important when choosing a school, but it is. Our teachers support each other and help out wherever they are needed. They share ideas and resources. They encourage each other and lift each other up. Our work environment is pleasant and fun. Everyone enjoys coming to work. As most of you know, that's pretty special and hard to find. Another great thing about our staff is that everyone is passionate about teaching and are excited to do their jobs. We get to work along side women that LOVE what they do each day!
We put people before policy. We focus on what is best for our students over numbers, money, or success. If I'm being completely honest, every single month is a struggle for us financially. We use every resource we have to provide the very best program we can. Curriculum trumps savings every time. I'm sure all the finance people out there are rolling their eyes but I'm an educator at heart, not an accountant. What matters most to me is that we are providing everything we possibly can to make our teacher's jobs easy and enjoyable, and our students successful.
I hope you will come see for yourself what makes CDS special and give us the honor of teaching and loving your child. We promise to take the responsibility very seriously.
Ashley Danko
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
Open House for New Families
We are excitedly preparing for our 2015-2016 school year here at Coastal Day School!! I still can't believe that it will be our 10th school year! What a great honor it has been getting to teach and love amazing children and families of Leland! I am very much looking forward to meeting the new students and parents that will join our CDS family next year!
We will be holding an Open House on Thursday, January 15th from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. This night is for new families to come tour our school, meet our staff, and enroll for the 2015-2016 school year which starts in September 2015. This will be the first opportunity for new families to enroll.
Click here to find our enrollment packet including registration forms and our parent handbook.
To enroll your child that night, you will be required to turn in all paperwork as well as the registration fee and tuition deposit as outlined on the tuition contract.
Please email me at ashley@coastaldayschool.com if you have any questions about the Open House or the 2015-2016 school year.
I hope to meet you and your family at the Open House and introduce you to our amazing staff!
We will be holding an Open House on Thursday, January 15th from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. This night is for new families to come tour our school, meet our staff, and enroll for the 2015-2016 school year which starts in September 2015. This will be the first opportunity for new families to enroll.
Click here to find our enrollment packet including registration forms and our parent handbook.
To enroll your child that night, you will be required to turn in all paperwork as well as the registration fee and tuition deposit as outlined on the tuition contract.
Please email me at ashley@coastaldayschool.com if you have any questions about the Open House or the 2015-2016 school year.
I hope to meet you and your family at the Open House and introduce you to our amazing staff!
Monday, October 27, 2014
Funny Five-Year Olds
Today I had the pleasure of hanging out with Tammy's kindergartners for a little bit. Let me tell you, they are hilarious!! We were talking about who had what job for the day and here are their funny little explanations...
The Pledge-a-leger: This is the child that gets to hold the flag for the pledge. This is a pretty big deal! They informed me that this was the coolest job of all!
The Astodian: This is the child that gets the broom for Miss Tammy throughout the day. Apparently, this is a really cool job to have because you get to walk through the baby room to get it.
The Light Thermometer: This is the child that gets to turn the lights on and off when they leave the room for recess or specials. I was told by this funny group of five year olds that "this is really usually an adult's job but because Miss Tammy is really nice, she lets the kids do it!"
In addition to the flag holder, custodian, and light monitor, they also have other jobs like the calendar helper, the weather helper, and the messenger. Being the messenger is a REALLY hard job because you have to walk ALL .THE. WAY. to my office and back which is, according to the kindergartners, four-thousand ,five-million seventy-two hundred miles away from their classroom. Bet you didn't know we had such a large school!
So grateful for such an awesome, little kindergarten class! It's always fun when I get to hang out with them!!
-Ashley
The Pledge-a-leger: This is the child that gets to hold the flag for the pledge. This is a pretty big deal! They informed me that this was the coolest job of all!
The Astodian: This is the child that gets the broom for Miss Tammy throughout the day. Apparently, this is a really cool job to have because you get to walk through the baby room to get it.
The Light Thermometer: This is the child that gets to turn the lights on and off when they leave the room for recess or specials. I was told by this funny group of five year olds that "this is really usually an adult's job but because Miss Tammy is really nice, she lets the kids do it!"
In addition to the flag holder, custodian, and light monitor, they also have other jobs like the calendar helper, the weather helper, and the messenger. Being the messenger is a REALLY hard job because you have to walk ALL .THE. WAY. to my office and back which is, according to the kindergartners, four-thousand ,five-million seventy-two hundred miles away from their classroom. Bet you didn't know we had such a large school!
So grateful for such an awesome, little kindergarten class! It's always fun when I get to hang out with them!!
-Ashley
Thursday, October 16, 2014
My AWESOME staff!
Can I just brag about my staff for a moment? I mean really, they are so incredible. Apparently today was Boss' Day. I walked in to lovely flowers and a gift certificate to my favorite nail salon. Pretty awesome, huh? Here's the thing...that's not even why I think they are so amazing. Don't get me wrong, I SO appreciate the gift and will be using it soon, but it really speaks to who each of them are. These women are thoughtful, generous, and sweet among so many other things. They are passionate. They are smart...like really smart. They are funny. Gosh we have so much fun laughing together. And I am so lucky that not only do I get to work beside them, I get to call them my friends. I know some of you reading this get the privilege of knowing them, but for those of you who don't, here are my favorite things about each of them.
Caroline- First things first, she's my very best friend. I'm really not sure how I'd get through each day without her. She speaks truth to me (which can hurt sometimes) and helps me become a better person. She keeps me organized and on task. We think alike. My life is better because of her. At work, she is the rock. She always has the right answer and the best idea of how to handle a situation. She's great with parents, students, and teachers. She's just awesome!
Tammy- Tammy is so passionate about teaching. She is always finding new ways to teach something or amazing websites or materials to use. I love talking to Tammy about school. We could seriously spend all day talking about reading or handwriting or adding. I love that she gets so excited about her students progress. They know she's proud of them!!
Veronnica- She is super motivated and a go-getter! V. is a great planner and very organized. Our after school students love her and she does a great job at keeping our parents informed. She is a hard worker and takes her responsibilities very seriously. And she's an obsessive counter on field trips like me ;)
Shelley- Shelley is an awesome two year old teacher! I feel like so many people think two year olds aren't capable of learning in school and she knows that's not true! She teaches them with the same passion and expectations as our teachers in older classrooms and they learn a LOT! She is very kind and really works hard to make her classroom a fun, loving place for her students.
Melissa- Melissa and I are kindred spirits. We love our kids with the same fierceness (and maybe we're both a little overbearing.) Melissa is so loving to our students and treats them like she'd treat her own children. She is so positive and sweet!!
Pam- She is seriously the most positive person I have ever met. She always has the BEST attitude and puts on a happy face for her students even if she doesn't feel that way on the inside. She is so loving. I jokingly said that I need to have a talk with her about how long she takes to put kids in the car at pick-up line because she has to hug them and kiss their cheeks before she buckles them in. It's no wonder kids cheer when she walks in the room!
Kalyn- Kalyn probably gets tired of me always pointing this out but she is so super organized. I so wish I could be like that. She is always on top of things! She is awesome at planning fun activities and especially good at planning themed activities. She's also really great at knowing what is age-appropriate and having realistic expectations for her students.
Autumn- Autumn truly strives to be the very best teacher she can be. She works hard to make preschool a great experience for all of her students. She speaks so sweetly to them and makes them feel loved. She is always looking for the best in her students and helps them feel good about themselves.
Michelle- Oh Michelle. Where do I start? I love that Michelle and I have a friendship that only her and I get. We can seriously say anything to each other (hurtful, teasing, serious) and it's always okay. She is super-duper fun and creative. She really does make the best worksheets! She can dance and sing and the kiddos love her for it! Also, she makes the most amazing desserts, well, food in general.
Natalie- Natalie is an amazing teacher. She is so prepared. I always feel like she is so on top of things. She also has the best attitude too. She treats it as an honor to teach her class which I LOVE. She is a hard-worker and always goes above and beyond!!
Stephanie- Stephanie has one of the hardest jobs at CDS and rocks it! Somehow she remains calm in the midst of chaos! She is super sweet and loves her cute, little toddlers. Stephanie is also so funny and just plain fun to be around!! Also, she cleans non-stop and I love it!!!!
Jane- Jane works so great with our students in small groups! One of my favorite things about Jane is that she has such a special place in her heart for kids that are having a hard time. She really does everything she can to help students reach their fullest potential. She's an amazing resource and advocate for our students!!
Jodi- Jodi loves to do all the things I hate. She organizes and cleans and I love it! She keeps order. She is so helpful to Caroline and I. She makes my job so much easier and I love having her around this year!! She is also so kind and sweet and jumps in wherever we need her!
Erica- Sweet. That's Erica. She's just so sweet. She's so soft spoken and kind. When you see her with students, you just know that she loves them and they know it too!!
Susan- Susan is an amazing Bible Buddies teacher! She is so caring and loving and plans amazing lessons for our kiddos. She is super organized and a great planner!
If you know these incredible women, you probably also love all these things about them! I know one thing, I am SO thankful for them!!
-Ashley
Caroline- First things first, she's my very best friend. I'm really not sure how I'd get through each day without her. She speaks truth to me (which can hurt sometimes) and helps me become a better person. She keeps me organized and on task. We think alike. My life is better because of her. At work, she is the rock. She always has the right answer and the best idea of how to handle a situation. She's great with parents, students, and teachers. She's just awesome!
Tammy- Tammy is so passionate about teaching. She is always finding new ways to teach something or amazing websites or materials to use. I love talking to Tammy about school. We could seriously spend all day talking about reading or handwriting or adding. I love that she gets so excited about her students progress. They know she's proud of them!!
Veronnica- She is super motivated and a go-getter! V. is a great planner and very organized. Our after school students love her and she does a great job at keeping our parents informed. She is a hard worker and takes her responsibilities very seriously. And she's an obsessive counter on field trips like me ;)
Shelley- Shelley is an awesome two year old teacher! I feel like so many people think two year olds aren't capable of learning in school and she knows that's not true! She teaches them with the same passion and expectations as our teachers in older classrooms and they learn a LOT! She is very kind and really works hard to make her classroom a fun, loving place for her students.
Melissa- Melissa and I are kindred spirits. We love our kids with the same fierceness (and maybe we're both a little overbearing.) Melissa is so loving to our students and treats them like she'd treat her own children. She is so positive and sweet!!
Pam- She is seriously the most positive person I have ever met. She always has the BEST attitude and puts on a happy face for her students even if she doesn't feel that way on the inside. She is so loving. I jokingly said that I need to have a talk with her about how long she takes to put kids in the car at pick-up line because she has to hug them and kiss their cheeks before she buckles them in. It's no wonder kids cheer when she walks in the room!
Kalyn- Kalyn probably gets tired of me always pointing this out but she is so super organized. I so wish I could be like that. She is always on top of things! She is awesome at planning fun activities and especially good at planning themed activities. She's also really great at knowing what is age-appropriate and having realistic expectations for her students.
Autumn- Autumn truly strives to be the very best teacher she can be. She works hard to make preschool a great experience for all of her students. She speaks so sweetly to them and makes them feel loved. She is always looking for the best in her students and helps them feel good about themselves.
Michelle- Oh Michelle. Where do I start? I love that Michelle and I have a friendship that only her and I get. We can seriously say anything to each other (hurtful, teasing, serious) and it's always okay. She is super-duper fun and creative. She really does make the best worksheets! She can dance and sing and the kiddos love her for it! Also, she makes the most amazing desserts, well, food in general.
Natalie- Natalie is an amazing teacher. She is so prepared. I always feel like she is so on top of things. She also has the best attitude too. She treats it as an honor to teach her class which I LOVE. She is a hard-worker and always goes above and beyond!!
Stephanie- Stephanie has one of the hardest jobs at CDS and rocks it! Somehow she remains calm in the midst of chaos! She is super sweet and loves her cute, little toddlers. Stephanie is also so funny and just plain fun to be around!! Also, she cleans non-stop and I love it!!!!
Jane- Jane works so great with our students in small groups! One of my favorite things about Jane is that she has such a special place in her heart for kids that are having a hard time. She really does everything she can to help students reach their fullest potential. She's an amazing resource and advocate for our students!!
Jodi- Jodi loves to do all the things I hate. She organizes and cleans and I love it! She keeps order. She is so helpful to Caroline and I. She makes my job so much easier and I love having her around this year!! She is also so kind and sweet and jumps in wherever we need her!
Erica- Sweet. That's Erica. She's just so sweet. She's so soft spoken and kind. When you see her with students, you just know that she loves them and they know it too!!
Susan- Susan is an amazing Bible Buddies teacher! She is so caring and loving and plans amazing lessons for our kiddos. She is super organized and a great planner!
If you know these incredible women, you probably also love all these things about them! I know one thing, I am SO thankful for them!!
-Ashley
Friday, September 12, 2014
Happy Birthday Coastal Day School!!
Today we are celebrating our 8th birthday! What a crazy, exciting, wonderful eight years it has been! We have had the opportunity to meet hundreds of sweet kiddos, amazing, supportive parents, and the best teachers I have ever known!!! I am so very thankful to everyone who has partnered with us to create an amazing preschool, kindergarten, and after school program. I am very aware that I could not have done this alone! I am looking forward to the future and excited about what is to come for our little school. I thought it would be appropriate to share my goals with everyone (business and personal) and hope you will all help me stay on track. Here they are...my goals that I want to reach over the next eight years:
1. Build our own building!! Seriously, this can't happen soon enough for me! It will have wide hallways, lots of parking, and of course be bright and cheery! I spend way too much time sketching what I want it to look like. I am REALLY hoping our 10th birthday will be celebrated by breaking ground on our new facility!
2. Add grades 1st-5th. I am blown away with the incredible things our little preschoolers learn each day and would love to be able to offer the same opportunity to older children. It is funny to me that this was never part of my dream until recently. I hated saying good-bye to our kindergartners last year and can't wait until I can say "see you in first grade next year!!"
3. Go back to school for business. While I am so grateful for my education and experience in Early Childhood, I had to learn the hard way when it comes to the business end of things around here. I know this will be very valuable to me as our business grows.
I'm so grateful for everything I have learned over the last eight years owing this business. I think back to the person I was when we opened and it's hard to believe that was me!!! The experiences, parents, students, employees, hard times, and wonderful times have shaped me into the person I am. I'm excited for the future and to make these goals a reality! Here's to another eight years!!
1. Build our own building!! Seriously, this can't happen soon enough for me! It will have wide hallways, lots of parking, and of course be bright and cheery! I spend way too much time sketching what I want it to look like. I am REALLY hoping our 10th birthday will be celebrated by breaking ground on our new facility!
2. Add grades 1st-5th. I am blown away with the incredible things our little preschoolers learn each day and would love to be able to offer the same opportunity to older children. It is funny to me that this was never part of my dream until recently. I hated saying good-bye to our kindergartners last year and can't wait until I can say "see you in first grade next year!!"
3. Go back to school for business. While I am so grateful for my education and experience in Early Childhood, I had to learn the hard way when it comes to the business end of things around here. I know this will be very valuable to me as our business grows.
I'm so grateful for everything I have learned over the last eight years owing this business. I think back to the person I was when we opened and it's hard to believe that was me!!! The experiences, parents, students, employees, hard times, and wonderful times have shaped me into the person I am. I'm excited for the future and to make these goals a reality! Here's to another eight years!!
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